Introducing our Lifetime Dental Health Plan
Historically, veterinary dental care has been a reactive treatment, meaning we do not intervene until
the pet presents with a visible problem such as significant tartar, gingival infection, pain or tooth loss. This is in stark contrast to the type of care that we as humans are used to
receiving. Human dental care is proactive, meaning that humans seek care before they have problems in the hope of preventing future damage.
It is now believed that veterinary dental care should follow the same model as our human counterparts. Waiting until a pet shows signs of disease such as excessive tartar buildup, loose teeth, or pain means that the pet has been living with a systemic bacterial infection for months or even years. This bacteria travels through the blood stream and can lead to more than just bad breath and loose teeth, it can cause severe conditions such as liver, kidney or heart disease. This means that, just as with humans, regular dental care really can lead to a longer, healthier life.
Regular home care, such as tooth brushing, dental diets and dental chew treats are critical to keeping your pets’ mouths as healthy as possible; however home care alone cannot prevent 100% of oral tartar, calculus and gingivitis. Like their human owners, pets need professional (veterinary) dental care on a regular basis to keep their mouths healthy.
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) is now recommending annual dental cleanings for our pets. Regular dental care helps eradicate any bacteria-laden tartar and calculus that may be building up at or below the gumline. The hope is that this will prevent disease from ever starting by removing the buildup that houses so much bacteria that, in turn, results in inflammation and eventually bone loss and infection below the gumline (the hallmarks of periodontal disease).
An effective dental treatment includes a thorough oral exam (which can only be done when a pet is asleep), full-mouth dental x-rays, ultrasonic scaling on the outer and inner surfaces of the tooth to remove plaque and calculus, subgingival curettage (scraping the section of the tooth below the gumline to remove calculus and inflamed tissue). While it would be great if these treatments can be performed in awake pets, the reality is that these treatments cannot be effectively done without the pet being fully asleep (meaning that tooth “cleaning” procedures performed without anesthesia are little more than a cosmeticprocedure).
We believe so strongly in regular dental care for your pet, that we are now offering a “Lifetime Dental Health Plan” for our clients who schedule regular dental cleanings with us. Because these cleanings are performed before dental disease has become severe, they are usually both fasterand easier on the pet. These regular cleanings mean less calculus and bacteria buildup, better oral health, and ultimately healthier pets.
How does it work?
The Lifetime Dental Health Plan* is a program for owners committed to the dental health of their pet. For clients who schedule dental cleaning no more than 14 months apart, we offer a $150 discount off of our professional dental package. The discount will also apply to pets that receive their first dental cleaning before 2 years of age.
Even better, this is not an abbreviated procedure, but provides a discount off our standard comprehensive dental procedure which includes:
- IV Catheter and Fluids throughout the procedure
- Quality safe induction and gas anesthesia
- Anesthesia Safety Package:
- Comprehensive monitoring: Heart rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, EKG, capnography (CO2), and body temperature
- Mechanical respiratory ventilation (to help ensure proper oxygen and anesthesia levels)
- External thermal regulation (to help prevent anesthetic hypothermia)
- Anesthetic monitoring by a well-trained member of our nursing staff
- Oral Examination (to check for broken teeth, infected gums or oral masses above the gumline)
- Full Mouth Digital Dental X-Rays (to evaluate for infections, tumors, resorption, and abnormalities within teeth and below the gumline
- Subgingival Probing (to find pockets of infection)
- Hand and Ultrasonic Scaling
- Subgingival Curettage and Root Planing
- Enamel Polishing
- Fluoride Treatment
Our hope is that this discount will provide incentive for owners to provide their pets consistent dental care, which will lead to better oral health throughout their lifetime.
*To help ensure the safety of your pet, all of our anesthetic procedures require that your pet has received a full veterinary exam within the past 6 months for dogs & cats under the age of 7, and within the last 3 months for senior pets. A blood test to evaluate systemic health must also be performed no more than 30 days prior to the procedure.
* If other treatments are found to be indicated during the procedure (e.g. periodontal antibiotic therapy, bonded sealants, extractions, other oral surgery) then we will contact you for authorization as additional treatments are not included in the cost of the standard or discounted lifetime dental health procedures.
